FOOD AND RESTAURANTS

Some of the best food of France comes from these regions. From the Rhone Alps and the Rhone Valley there are famous French cheeses like Tommes de Savoie, Beaufort, Bleu de Bresse and Reblochon (used for the famous ‘Tartiflette’, baked cheese with potatoes, bacon and onions). Fondue (melted cheese on bread) and Raclette (melted cheese with ham, salami and potatoes) are from the Rhone. So is Gratin Dauphinois (Potatoes with cream). Other famous dishes include Ravioles de Romans (Cheese ravioli), Andouillettes and Rosettes (sausages), Perches au vin (fish with wine sauce), Lièvre à la royale (rabbit ) and the famous blue footed chickens from Bresse that are so prized they sell for more than os a kilo at the markets. Thats about $60 for a small chicken. Truffles are also a big harvest near Drome. The Rhone region brings in more than 75% of the France’s truffles. If you are near Montélimar, stop in for Nougat de Montélimar. If you’re not near the town you’ll still be able to find it in other places.

The Burgundy region is famous for dishes cooked in burgundy wine like Boeuf Bourguignon (beef burgundy), Coq au Vin: (Chicken stewed in Burgundy), Escargot a la Bourguignon (snails in Burgundy wine). The most famous French beef ‘Charolais’ is from the Burgundy. Dishes from around the city of Dijon are made with Dijon mustard, of course. There are favorites like Steak a la moutarde (steak with mustard) and Lapin à la moutarde (rabbit in mustard sauce). Burgundy is also famous for Frog’s legs, gougère (cheese puff pastry) and the creamy (smelly) Epoisses cheese. Sweets include Nonnettes of Dijon (iced gingerbread cake) and Madelines

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We do the Romans a disservice if we heroize them, as much as if we demonise them. But we do ourselves a disservice if we fail to take them seriously – and if we close our long and complicated conversation with them.
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